Garment-exhibiting apparatus.



Patented Mar. 3, 1914N F. T. BARTON 0. HBNSON. GARMENT EXHIBITING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1913.

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FOREST T. BARTON AND OSCAR HENSON, OF SEATTLE, EVASHINGTON, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO LEO N. KEMPER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

GARMENT-EXHIBITING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed March 3l, 1913. Serial No. 757,798.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, Fonnsr T. BARTON and @scan Hanson, citizens of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of lvVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Exhibiting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in store-fixtures and particularly to devices for storing and exhibiting garments for sale.

The object oi' the invention is the provision of improved garment supporting apparatus within a containing-case and means to reciprocatively mount said apparatus to convey the garments thereon forwardly to the exterior of the case :tor inspection.

A. further object ot the invention is the provision of locking devices for said garment-supporting apparatus and a door of the case whereby neither said apparatus nor said door may be opened while the other is open or in any excepting its most rearward position.

The invention consists in the novel construction or" garment supporting apparatus, the adaptation and combination ot means of mounting the same within a show-case, and the combination therewith of said locking devices, as will be fully described in the following speciiication, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and inally set tort-h in the appended claims.

lin said drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is. a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view through .9i-Z ot Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 1 are lragmentary enlarged views ot the locking devices. Fig. 5 is an enlarged crosssectional view hrough 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to said views, the reference numeral 1 indicates the rear-wall ot a showcase adapted to retain and exhibitgarments for sale. y

2 indicates the respective end-walls and 3 and 4lthe front and rear rails of the glasspaneled top of the case.

5 designates a door adapted, when opened, to slide in grooves 6 within the case in planes parallel to said end walls 2 and when closed to be slidably withdrawn for a distance and then swung laterally in grooves 7 into position, closing the front of the case, substantially as illustrated in our application for patent, Serial No. 755,303.

The reference numeral S indicates a pair of parallel track-rails spaced apart at each end by metal strips 9 and lixedly secured thereby to the front and rear rails 3 and a of the top. Said track-rails are each formed with upwardly curved ends 81 and a straight medial portion spaced below said top. A trame reciprocally mounted on said track rails consists in a pair of runners 10 rigidly connected together in spaced parallel relation by cross-braces 11. Each said runner is provided with a longitudinally arranged channel 12 adapted to receive said traclrrails and is supported from said rails by means of a roller 18 rotatably mounted iii integral ears 14 intermediate the ends ot' the runner. A roller 15 is rotatably mounted between downwardly projecting ears 1G at the rear end oi' each runner and bears upon the underside o'l' the respective track-rail. A rod 17 issupported by the runners at their 'front ends extending rectangularly thereto for a suitable distance at each side within the case-compartment. Suit hangers, as 18, may be mounted on said rod 17 and garments exhibited thereon arranged in close parallel order. As outlined said trame is reciprocally mounted on said traclails 8 and the weight oi the garments dependent from the rod 17 v are borne upon the rollers 13 while the rear rollers 15 facilitate the movement of the frame longitudinally of the trackrails. Usually the 'frame will be maintained in the position indicated in 'full lines in Fig. 1; that is to say, with the garment supporting rod 17 retracted within the case-compartment so that the doors may be closed. When it is desired to inspect the contents of the case, the irame is drawn outwardly by the operator exerting a pull upon the handle 19. The trame and its load is then advanced to the positions indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein the rod 17 is shown outside ot the case and the garments supported thereby may be readily examined. The frame may be drawn outwardly to any distance limited only by the interference of the rollers 13 with the forward curved ends S1 ot the track-rails.

A latch is provided tor the door and trame consisting in a mandrel 20 mounted in bracket bearings 21 upon the rear wall 1 t the case. Rigidly secured at opposite ends of said mandrel are dogs 22 and 23 cach formed in its lower edge with a hook 24. Between said hook and the extremity of the dogs they are each formed with a cam-edge 25 and are similarly formed with a cam-edge at 2G between said hook and the connection with the mandrel. Said mandrel is mounted to afford a limited oscillatory movement, the dogs at each end thereof normally occupying, through their gravity, a horizontal position, as indicated in full lines in F ig. 4l.

The door 5 is provided with a corner-plate 27 on which the guide-pin 2S of the door is mounted. Said plate is formed with an aperture having a lower edge 29 in line with said dog Q3, said aperture communicating with a recess 30 provided in the door. An upward extension of said ears 16 is provided with a laterally projecting pin 31 in line with the dog 22.

Assuming that the door is open and. latched, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, it will be noted that the dog 23 is entered into the recess 30 and the hook 24 thereof caught upon the plate at the lower edge 29 of its said aperture. Thus, when the frame is in its outward position, the door could not be drawn out and endanger the glass therein by accidentally clashing the same against the end of rod 17.

Then the frame is pushed bacl into the case, the pin 31 may be engaged by the hook 24 of the dog 22. To permit the door to be closed, said frame is pushed farther rearwardly, bringing the pin 31 into Contact with the camedge 26 and thereby oscillating the mandrel 2O and raising the dog 23 and freeing the door 5. The latter may then be closed but, meantime, the frame may not be drawn outwardly until the door is again opened and the rearward movement of the door and contact of the lower edge 29 of its aperture with the cam-edge Q4 of the dog 23 oscillates the mandrel 520 in turn to release the frame.

There may be a door provided at each side of the case, as indicated in Fig. 1 and each is provided with latching mechanism, as described, which is operative with devices upon the frame at each side thereof. Thus when either door is in locked open condition, it may only be released conveniently by the rearward travel of the frame and it, in turn, may not -be released except bythe rearward movement of bot-h doors at the farthest extremity of their travel.

The invention is simple of construction, strong and durable, with few parts to get out of order and may be made of unobtrusive and pleasing appearance as a fixture for stores of the higher grade.

`While we have described our invention with some detail, we do not mean to confine ourselves to the precise construction shown, as obviously various changes and modifications in detail may be made wit-hin the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having described our invention, what we claim, is`

l. In ashow-case of the class described, the combination of a suitable case provided with al sliding door opening within the side of its compartment, a pair of track rails secured at the top of said compartment, garment supporting apparatus arranged to be reciprocatively mounted on said track-rails, means to lock said. apparatus within the compartment, and means actuated by movement of said door to release the locking mechanism of said apparatus.

2. In a show-case of the class described, the combination of a. suitable case provided with a sliding door opening within the side of its compartment.l a pair of track-rails secured at the top of said compartment, garment supporting apparatus arranged to be reciprocatively mounted on said track-rails, locking means for said apparatus and said door whereby both may be locked within the compartment and either released by means of the other.

Signed at Seattle, Wash., this 13th day of March, 1913.

FOREST T. BARTON. OSCAR HENSON. Witnesses E. PETERSON, HORACE BARNES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

